Bird-cage latch



Marc-h3, 1931. E. w. LITTLE 1,794,718

I BIRD CAGE LATCH F'iled March 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 21 March 3, 1931.

v E. W. LITTLE BIRD GAG'E LATCH Filed Maon 15, 1928 3 Sheets-sheet s Patented Mar. 3, 1931 lf2-MEur lorrica .y EARL mma or interferone ramene BIRD-CAGE LATCH- 'Y AAltipiicanbn filed Marcela, 192s. serial No; 261,197.

vThis invention relates to, bird-cages, and

the primary robject of the invention is toy gen-y proved cage body of simpleand durable con struction.

@ther and more specific objects will become'k apparent asthe nature of the invention is bet- 15 ter understood, and the same consists inthe novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described,

shown in the accompanying drawings and l 1 n sioned to extend'downwardly and outwardly in diverging relation after they are hooked 70 claimed.

In the drawings: y n

Figure l isa frontk elevational View of a bird cage embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a central vertical section thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail plan' view, showing the manner of connecting the upper ends .of the vertical wires of the cage body together. t

Figure t is a fragmentary rdetail vertical 2'30 section, showing the manner of constructing the cage body.

Figure 5 is a perspective view ofthe screwV for suspending the swingand for receiving the cage-suspending loop.

showing details of the means for releasably Y latching the cage body and the base of the cage together.

Figure 7 is a view somewhat similar to Figure, withk the catch elementreleased;

and

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective, .view 'of one of the catch elements. s Referring more in detail tothe drawings,

" The body is composed of a plurality of "m vertically extending .wires 7,*V most of which- A still further object is toprovide an im-v Figuret andtliereretained when the wires y12 areweldedfthereto. .This brings the upper 7p Vthe vertical"wires loose from the washer Figure Gis a fragmentary vertical section.`

' the 'undersideof the washer 8, andthisshell the cage comprises a body 5, and a removable" 'reach from thetop to the bottom'of th'ecalge i i body. The lupperends of thewires 7l extend` and are grouped about a washer'S and havev terminal hooks 9 snugly engaged over the inner edge of the washer 8 as shown'infFig- 55 Y ures 2 toy 4, inclitsive, the wiresl( being soldered to the washer 8 to permanently connect them to the latter. A fine meshscreen band l0 encircles the cage body 5 near the bottom thereof to` prevent the seed froinV being-- thrown out of the`c age,the" band 10 i j being secured to the wires 7 and having a door ll, as usual. Wires l2 encircle the cage b ody at the top and bottom of the screen band' 1Q, and these wires l2 are welded to the wires 7 t @5 so as to' lreepV the latterspaced Aapar-tthe proper distance. As shown` by dotted lines invFigure 4;', the wires 7 are normally tenand-solde'red .onto the washerS, andwhen the wires l2 are applied the vertical wires-7 'are sprung inwardly to the full line position of portions `rof t-hefterminal hooks 9 tightly ,t against the washer Suso that when they are.

-solderedtothe latter, a very strong anddurable constructioiris hadwherein pulling of the adjacentlp'ortions of thewires, and thisr` Cap may be held ih Place .in any Suitable men ner.A As shown, a shell 14 'is disposed against 5 and the` Cap 13 arelamrestegether and retained in place loi-fia Screw'l, and .a nut 1,6.

threaded onthe upper endof said 4screwpthe 0- head l? on thleloverend of the Screwfebut 1 "rtingthes'hell 14: and the/'nut .16 'seating @en 1 "the cap 13.v Thenut" 16 -has a looplS for'u'se j Y in suspending thebird cage from a support. YA sheet metalV base member or 4band 19 en' circles the lower' ends of the wires 7. beneath the screen bandlOQand this band .l'9'is welded to the-wires 7 completing the `vcage body vconstruction. vThe head oflthef'screw 15 is'shojvn" ents/Suspended.' rhejusaalsed aid-wafer" o in thefforin of aneyeffroni whichthe''swingl oups 21 and 22 are removably engaged with the lower wire 12.

l The base 6 consists of a shallow tray 23 within which the lower end of the cage body snugly but removably ts, and a deep marginal wall 24 integral with and extending outward and downward from the rim of the tray 23 below the bottom of the latter, the upper portion 25 of the wall 24 sloping as shown clearly in Figures 6 andv 7. The upper edge'portion of the band 19 is flared outwardly as at 26, for a purpose which will presently become apparent.` Y

To releasably latch the cage body and the base 6 together, I provide a plurality of catch elements 27, carried by marginal wall 24 of the base 6 and spaced apart circumferentially labout the latter( Each catch element 27 consists of an ornamental body,pref

- erably in the form of the figure of a bird or animal, having a reduced depending rigid stem 28 loosely slidably extending through a holein the sloping upper portion of the wall 24 of the base, a compression spring 29 e being disposed on the stem 28 with its ends respectively bearing against a washer 30 disposed on the stem 28 Vandagainst the underside of the wall Yportion 25 and Ya further washer 31 held on the lower end of therstem 28 by a Cotter pin 32, or the like. The spring 29 normally expands to draw the lower end of the catch bodydown against the wall portion 25, and, dueto the slopeof the latter and the loose iit of the stem 28 in the hole of said wall portion-25, the catch body is swung out from the body of the cage to an, outwardly tilted position as shown in Figure 7. It is thusapparent thatpwhen the catches are released, they will not interferewith the ready positioning of the lower.V end of the cage body within the tray, and they will especially not scratch or mar thesurface linish of the cage body. .A small hook 33 is provided on the upper end of the catch bodyladapted to engage over the flared upper `edge portion 26 of the band 19 when the catch is raised against the action of the spring 29 and swung spring members for clamping said hooks in engagement with the hook receiving means of the body portion, said catch elements resting in a vertical position when engaged with the body portion and moved and caused to assume a leaning position away from said body portion, by the tension of said springs, when released from the body portion.

2. A latch for the body portion and base,

member of a bird cage comprising a laterally tiltable and slidably mounted stem in the base portion, a hook extending therefrom and a compression spring thereon, and a keeper on EARL lV. LITTLE.

inwardly, as. shown `in Figure 6. With the i Vseveral catches thus engaged with the band i Y 19 and the springs"29 of the catches under compression, the cage body and the base of the cage will be effectively latched'together, although theymay be readily released, one 'from the other, by lifting the catch elements slightly. 4

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the in-` vention as claimed.l

WhatIclaim as Vnew is: i y i. l. In a bird cage, a body portion, a base cooperating (therewith, a plurality of catch elements carried by said base, hooks on said catchelements, meanson saidbody portion with which said hooks engage Jfor suspending the base portion from said body'portion, and, 

